New Year's Eve

We spent New Year's Eve with some friends for dinner, wine and great company. Jack played while the other kids with the adults visited. The girls even behaved quite nicely--maybe this is a foreshadowing of how they will be in 2010!

The kids: Jack, Ethan, Erin, Derek and Megan

The Mamas: Tamera, Me, Michelle and Catherine

HAPPY NEW YEAR! HERE'S TO HEALTH AND HAPPINESS IN 2010!

And We are Not Done Yet! Christmas at Home

December 29th: Is anyone else tired? After the action packed week, we made our way home on Tuesday the 29th. Once we got there, we had to open gifts from Santa! Next year we will have to arrange for Santa to come early to our house because it was too much after a three hour van ride and van stuffed with presents, clothes and baby gear and three very tired and hungry girls to have to open up more presents. I tried to snap a few pictures of Jack who was full of energy.

This was the best picture I got of him when he first ran into the house.

The girls didn't make it too long before the were more interested in milk and cribs.

All in all, after posting all these pictures from our week, I am realizing how much we did and how it actually went fairly smooth. It took lots of organizing and planning for the days and unpacking and repacking bags each night, but it was worth all the extra effort to see and do all we did. I keep thinking next year it will be easier, but just so you know, I don't completely believe it really gets too much easier at any given point during the next 18 or so years. We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We have so much to be thankful for in 2009 and are ready for all the great memories in 2010.

Celebrating Birthdays

December 28th: Since we have four birthdays within two weeks of Christmas, we decided to do one little party after Christmas. Jack, along with his cousins, Abby, Braden and Emily, all opened presents (yet again!) on the 28th at my mom's. We also enjoyed dinner with great grandparents, sang and ate cake. My mom made Jack a Bella cake. He loved that it looked just like his little bear he carries around everywhere.

Whoever says kids with birthdays near Christmas don't get all the attention?

Jack smiles for the camera with his Bella cake before singing Happy Birthday.

Kate is exhausted from all these parties!

Elizabeth loves her Granddad

Great Grandparents holding Sarah's baby Marie

Aunt Patty holds Anna. Abby and Kevin visit with her.

Sweet Maria!

Aunt Julie holds Kate

New Babies in 2009

December 28th: This really should have been videotaped! We attempted to get a picture of all the new granddaughters born this year to my mom and dad. We had five baby girls born between May 11th and Aug. 21. Whew! It didn't help that Maria can crawl away and Marie can roll. And, most were tired and hungry, but what fun would it be if they all just laid there and smiled at us?

In order of youngest to oldest: Kate, Elizabeth, Anna (4 months), Marie (5 months) and Maria (7.5 months)

Maria was not a happy camper

This one is better

A quick picture of Marie with the Scudder girls while Maria was consoled

Scudder girls--all were cooperating fairly well for some reason

Another try for a picture with Maria sitting and Marie flipped over.

Marie eyeing Anna's hand as a potential object to suck on.

Looks pretty good to her, Anna is not so sure about the whole thing.

Anna and Marie

Little miracles all born healthy and happy to three families. Can't wait to watch them grow up together.

Friends

December 27th: On Sunday, we were able to see some friends of ours from Ohio. Jack and Abby are great friends and really enjoyed seeing each other. They ran around and played while we caught up with Sarah and Joe who recently had a new addition to their family--David, born at the end of November. It was fun to see them again and we wish we lived closer!

Sarah holding David while Jack checks him out. Abby watches.

I love this picture of these two.

Abby is such a sweet little girl. They look so old together now!

In order from oldest to youngest. Anna, Elizabeth, Kate (four months old) and David (four weeks old)

Christmas with the Scudder's

December 27th: On Sunday, we celebrated Christmas with the Scudders. This was the first time Geemaw and Peepaw were able to meet the girls. It was a great day and once again, the girls were spoiled with all the attention they got.

Geemaw and Anna

Peepaw got Elizabeth to sleep!

Aunt Cindy loving on Anna

Christmas with the Szczepanski's

On the 26th, we had my family's Christmas. We had a nice dinner and plenty of people around to help hold and feed the babies. Jack enjoyed playing with his cousins. The girls actually slept through the opening of the gifts which was nice for John, Jack and I.

Ambria feeding Anna and Emily feeding Kate--such great little mommies

Kevin, Emily and Ambria looking at Kate


Cutie pie Kevin and Jack eating rolls waiting for dinner

Sleepy Elizabeth

Uncle Neil holds a sleeping Kate with Thomas

Abby loves the babies. She likes to hold Kate.

Marie and Anna are intrigued with the tree that lights up.

Opening gifts. Quite a process with twelve kids under the age of nine (and five of them are under the age of eight months)
Jack opens a gift

Christmas at the Gym

December 25th: We went to the Poinsatte Christmas on Christmas day. We all get together at my aunt's gymnastics club because it is the only place we all fit. I have over sixty first cousins, many that are married and have children of their own. It is always so nice to see everyone, especially since we live out-of-town and only see most of them once a year. This was the first time most of my family have met the triplets. Jack had a blast running on the tumble trampoline, jumping in the pit and just running around. We do a gift exchange with the kids and this year Jack was into opening the gifts without my help.

Jack opening his gift

The girls opening their gifts with the help from Katy, Grandmom and me

Christmas Day

We started Christmas day with stockings from Santa. Jack was so happy to learn the babies had to "share" their watermelon gum with him because they are too little. He was so excited to see his gifts. We went to church as a family--only the second time we have done that since the girls have been born. John and I have to go to separate masses. Then, we had Christmas dinner at my mom's house before going to my aunt's gymnastics club for Christmas with all my cousins and aunts on my mom's side. Here are a few pictures.

The stockings

Jack on Christmas morning

After mass

Little Santas--the hats came from my mom

Elizabeth on her first Christmas

Anna

Kate